


Where are we?

by Megaiwer



Category: The Stanley Parable
Genre: Adventure, Confusion, Gen, Mute Stanley, My First Fanfic, Mystery, Office
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:00:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21897817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Megaiwer/pseuds/Megaiwer
Summary: This is a story about a man named Stanley.Stanley is an office worker stuck in the same endless loop of events, no matter how far he gets, he always ends up back in his office.However, everything changes when he finds a way to open a certain door. Will, he finally be free after many years of the never-ending repetition?What does he find on the other side?And most importantly, What will happen if we embark on a journey into the unknown?Let's find out together, Stanley.(This is my first fanfic and I'm looking for constructive criticism on how could I improve it. Please don't be too cruel. :) )
Relationships: The Narrator & Stanley (The Stanley Parable)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 36





	1. Prolouge: The end is never

This is a story about a man named Stanley.

Stanley was an employee working in an office building.

however one day his life changed forever when all the other employees disappeared Without a Trace and on the very same day she started hearing a mysterious voice narrating every action he made.

Stanley called him fittingly "the Narrator" as he has no idea what's his name is and for that matter who he is.

At first, Stanley listened to the narrator and as he unraveled the mystery of this place and reached freedom he woke up back in his office as if nothing happened.

"Impossible, I'm back here? How? Why?!" he thought to himself as the Narrator has begun once again _"all of his co-workers were gone what could it mean?"_

The office worker has a lot of questions towards the voice however he couldn't ask any of them, he was mute after all.

With no way of communicating with the mysterious presence, he moved ahead to see where all the different routes lead him on which he uncovered more mysteries both of the Narrator and this place. He has spent so much time that it felt like years. Of course, he couldn't tell because when the day reset all the clocks always started at the same hour so he quickly lost track of time.

And even though Stanley got used to the narrator's company and even enjoyed it at times he always wanted to find a way to break the loop and escape. but no matter what he did always ended up back in his room. No matter which way he turned or how he died it was all futile as the game has reset again and again and that took a heavy toll on him, following the same stories again and again was much harder for him as he was losing all motivation and hope that he will ever get out of this office.

That, however, was about to change

 _"Coming to a staircase, Stanley walked upstairs to his boss's office."_ The narrator stated.

Stanley stood in front of the staircase for a longer while than usual thinking about what was even the point in going there yet again, he has been there about a million times already after all.

 _"Stanley has been standing here for a while now, however, he suddenly realized that the story needed him in order to progress, so he moved onwards."_ He spoke with a calm tone.

Stanley reluctantly obliged and climbed the staircase yet again.

But this time was different, as soon as Stanley stepped into the office he suddenly stepped back because he was sick of this repetition he was about to think of another way to approach the situation when the door closed right in front of him. He expected a response from the Narrator but a minute passed and… nothing the Narrator stopped talking, Stanley even waved his hand in the air to maybe get him to notice that the door was closed but the voice did not say a single thing.

This situation was extremely unusual and uncomfortable for him. Even though he always technically alone in the building the Narrator was the only person who has kept him company and the fact that waiting for an extended time did not work didn't help him cope with the situation.

Stanley decided to get back downstairs and see if anything changed there and to his surprise the door he walked past through was open.

Now he was just confused the doors would always lock behind him and he clearly remembered this one closing too.

"I'm not going crazy, right?" Stanley thought to himself as he decided to go back and see what is going on.

Walking alone in this empty office was even eerier without the Narrator by his step, he could swear that he could even feel and hear his heartbeat.

From time to time Stanley would wave to check if his mysterious companion is back but to no avail.

When Stanley made it to the front of his office he noticed that the door next to his room was opened. He had no idea why or how but he knew it had to be important so without any other options he stepped into the door and went through the door which led him to a dark corridor.

* * *

After walking through it and coming to a turn Stanley noticed something peculiar a sign that said: "You are now leaving."

Stanley was stunned. "Have I truly made it? is the cycle going to end?" he thought as he noticed a flight of stairs leading upwards next to which was yet another sign which stated: "Escape pod bay, floor 760."

Without hesitation, Stanley climbed upwards towards his destination wondering about what would he find there and why is the Narrator still missing?

At some point, he would normally interrupt Stanley or scold him for derailing his story but instead, he was met with uncomfortable silence. And even though they were often in conflict, Stanley was still worried about him.

Nevertheless, he continued onwards to floor 760 on which he found yet another sign.

"Escape pod launch bay"

Stanly felt a wave of relief. "Maybe it can finally end, maybe I'm going to be free after all!" he thought to himself.

He noticed the next lines of text, however.

"WARNING: ENTERING THE ESCAPE POD WILL INITIATE A RELAY

THAT ONCE TRIGGERED, CAN NOT BE DISABLED OR PAUSED.

BOTH THE NARRATOR AND THE PLAYER MUST BE PRESENT IN ORDER

FOR ESCAPE SEQUENCE TO PLAY OUT AS INTENDED.

DO NOT PROCEED. DO NOT PROCEED. DO NOT PROCEE-"

This text had brought him mixed feelings.

It confirmed that this device could truly free him from this place.

But Stanley started wondering why was the text about him and the Narrator specifically.

He knew that he was "the player" after all, the Narrator would often refer to this place as a game made for Stanley.

But was the Narrator the one who had created this place?

It would be quite strange because he never mentioned it, showed it to him or the fact, that the only time Stanley made it to this place was when he was all alone.

"And if he did not do it, then who was it? Surely this place has a creator"

Stanley thought.

One concerning thing he did notice was the sign told him not to activate it.

Why not? Why does this place want him and the Narrator to stay and why was it cut off at the very end?

Stanley decided not to overthink this and knowing all well that the machine would not work without his friend, he decided to proceed anyway.

He entered the room filled with pure darkness in the middle of which a red capsule stood glowing with white light.

Stanley slowly but surely stepped into it, and everything went black.

* * *

Stanley found himself waking up back in his office with the Narrator starting his speech yet again.

Stanley knew what to do now, he had to bring the narrator with him to the launch bay.

He confidently stood up and started to think of a plan.


	2. the computer

_ "The meeting room, yes, that's where everyone would be. Stanley just needed to get to the meeting room and from then on he would never be alone ever again." _ Said the narrator as Stanley left his office.

He, however, swiftly ran up to the front of the door leading to the launch bay and tried to open it with force, but it wouldn't budge.

_ "Stanley decided that it was a wonderful idea to break into his co-worker's office instead of actually finding them. However, seeing the door not open made him realize that it was all pointless. So he moved on to the next room."  _ Said the slightly irritated Narrator.

Stanley was not going to give up just yet and tried to yet again, force it open.

_ "Look, Stanley. Even if the door opened, there would not be anything special in there. Just another desk with a computer on top of it as in every other office. I can tell you that much." _ Spoke the Narrator confident in his words.

But Stanley wouldn't just stop. He knew what was behind that door and he had promised to himself that he would find a way to get there with the Narrator one way or another.

_ "But he would not give up even though there was literally nothing worth any attention behind the closed door. Perhaps he was just so obsessed with this specific employee that he wanted something from the room just to cherish it in memory of them in case they would never be found again even though he did not remember how any of the employees even looked like. That would be both sweet albeit slightly psychotic." _

Stanley was annoyed with the Narrator. He had to admit, however, that he was correct, he had no idea who were they. The more he thought about it, the stranger it was for him. He could not even remember anything before entering the office for the last time before becoming trapped.

He had no idea why, but he always wanted to find out.

"Who wouldn't?" He thought to himself.

_ "Alright, Stanley. Just move on to the next room when you're done with whatever you're doing." _ He stated as he decided to end his speech there.

One thing Stanley always hated about the Narrator was his snarky remarks. 

These always managed to make Stanley irrationally furious.

After Stanley calmed down, he tried to open it a few more times, but it did not work at all.

He simply sighed as he proceeded to the next room still thinking about how to make the Narrator enter the launch bay alongside him.

He continued with the story as usual up until the boss's office. Where he decided that he needed to stop the door from closing. "This is it, here's my chance." he thought to himself as he had prepared himself to keep the doors opened.

As Stanley entered the room he quickly turned around and stretched his arms forward when suddenly the doors began closing, as usual, this was much more challenging of a task than he originally expected.

Force of the doors shutting was more than Stanley could withstand he, however, still was trying to not let them close.

_ "Stepping into his manager's... Stanley, what are you doing? _

_ Why are you trying to go back? You've just come from there.  _

_ You've already seen what's back in the previous rooms.  _

_ Perhaps you still want a souvenir from your co-worker, eh?  _

_ Or perhaps you think that the story will just appear there for no apparent reason? _

_ Either way, it's going to lead you nowhere." _ Exclaimed the Narrator.

Stanley could not keep the doors open anymore, the force closing them down was too strong for him to handle. 

He was frustrated not only at the Narrator but also at himself because he could not keep the door opened for long enough.

At this point, Stanley knew that if he wanted to get out of this place, he needed to keep the doors from closing. 

But he realized that doing it with his bare hands was a terrible mistake.

_ "Now Stanley, I hope you had your fun exercising because now we have to get back on track. Now, where was I? _

_ Ah yes, the Manager's office. *ahem* As I was saying..." _ The Narrator began yet again.

Stanley knew he could not do much now, he'd have to wait until the next reset to take any kind of action. 

Defeated, he proceeded with the story as usual even though he still was angry with the Narrator.

* * *

After yet another reset Stanley knew by not that he needed something to stop the doors from closing because he would not be able to do it without it.

"But what would be suitable?" he thought.

Suddenly Stanley got an idea of what kind of item he could use.

After some time Stanley made it to the broom closet and walked straight into it.

_ "Oh come on, Stanley, again? I thought you've gotten over that place already. Broom closet ending does not exist." _ Sighed the Narrator annoyed at the mere thought of waiting for Stanley yet another time.

But instead of staying there for an extended period of time he quickly walked out with a steel toolbox.

_ "Stanley, you were not supposed to take that with you, but if it will motivate you to go along with the story, why not at this point?" _

Stanley smiled, he got the item that he needed and the Narrator did not do anything about it, all he had to do was to execute the plan.

A short while had passed and Stanley had already climbed up to the boss's office.

Before he entered it he'd put the toolbox between the two doors and hoped for the best.

Stanley stepped inside and waited for the door to close when suddenly, he heard a metallic 'clang'.

Stanley's idea worked, the doors were blocked by the toolbox and remained open.

_ "Ha. ha. ha. Very funny Stanley. Now could you please move the toolbox please so we could move onwards with the story? Wait, where are you going?" _ Said the Narrator as Stanley squeezed in between the doors and started moving back.

_ "Stanley, there's no story back there, you're just heading back where you came from." _ He pleaded, but Stanley pressed onwards.

_ "Look, Stanley. I'm not your enemy, I just honestly want to-.  _

_ Wait. I could've sworn I've locked these doors, why are they open again? I haven't opened them after they've been closed. Have I? _

_ No, no, no. I wouldn't make a mistake like an amateur just like that." _ the Narrator said out loud.

Stanley finally made it to the front of his office and when he noticed that the door leading to the launch bay was still open he felt a wave of relief. He smiled like never before, he believed that this was his way out of this place.

_ "Stanley? Is this what you wanted to show me? Room 428 is opened, what is even so special about this room that you brought me all the way here? It's just a normal office like any other... Wait, that's not an office? There wasn't supposed to be a corridor here." _ The Narrator was getting really confused at this point.

Stanley stepped into the area.

_ "You are now leaving?!" _ The Narrator was lost for words.  _ "Wait a moment Stanley." _ He began flipping through his papers frantically, Stanley could clearly hear that.

_ "No, I... Stanley, I swear I had no idea that this place even existed. I haven't created it, at least I don't remember doing so." _ He was baffled by the mere existence of this place.

Stanley took the stairs upwards, again meeting the second sign.

_ "Uh... Let me see. This one is quite dirty, let me just clean it up a little."  _

The dirt fell from the sign suddenly after the Narrator finished his sentence. Stanley was not surprised at all, he had seen him perform many other actions without even showing up. How was he able to do that was still a mystery, however.

_ "Stanley? Is this what I think it is? An exit. After all this time spent here, we could finally leave..." _ As the Narrator said that sentence, Stanley couldn't help but imagine how real freedom feels like. The cold breeze on his skin, the real sunlight, this is what he always wanted.

_ "But considering all the danger from the outside world and the fact that we do not know about what lies beyond this office we need to consider if it is even worth leaving." _

"WHAT?!" Stanley suddenly thought. 

After all this time of being stuck in this cursed place and finally finding a way out, the Narrator wants him to stay?

No. He would not let it happen.

_ "Look, Stanley, I know what you're thinking. _

_ I just want you to consider the possibilities of what could happen after we would escape. _

_ Not even I know what lies beyond this office building. _

_ You could get attacked or get ran over or-" _

Stanley looked disappointed with the Narrator, after all, they both were stuck here for God knows how long and he wants them to stay in this endless loop of events.

_ "Stanley look, I... what am I doing? This place took control of my actions. We've been repeating the same events for the longest time and now we finally have a chance to flee. I don't know what to think anymore..." _

Stanley was surprised.

"He wanted to escape too?" He could not believe it.

After a few minutes of silence, the Narrator had spoken:

_ "Stanley, this is important. It looks like after you'll get into that escape pod, we'll leave this office forever. You might want to look around." _

Stanley thought about that for a moment before slowly walking backward one last time.

_ "I will be waiting here for you Stanley, take as much time as you need." _ Assured the Narrator.

* * *

Stanley entered his office labeled "427" and sat down by his computer, which still was waiting for a command.

He had closed his eyes for a moment to reflect on everything that happened to him in this facility.

All the adventures here were coming to an end, for Stanley, it was quite surreal.

After all the resets and different endings he has gone through it, all would finally come to an end.

Stanley knows that In a way, he will miss this place after he will finally escape, it strangely felt like home to him.

Even though he was trapped here for what felt like ages, he felt like thanks to this place he began understanding the mysterious Narrator, his personality, his hopes, dreams, and his aspirations.

Stanley has spent about half of an hour on his office chair but for him, it felt like a short while.

However, he knew that it is finally time to go.

As a chapter in his life was ending, he finally booted off his computer, stood up, and looking back one last time left the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So hey. This is the 2nd chapter of my little story. I hope you liked it. I'm really inexperienced in writing in general, so I'd like to ask you for your feedback in the comments. You don't have to of course but I would like to improve my writing as much as I possibly can. Stay awesome guys.


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